Ayoze Perez scored the hat-trick that clinched another year's Premier League football for Newcastle — then opened the door to leaving before it begins.

As the club battle to hang onto another Spaniard in manager Rafa Benitez, whose contract runs out this summer, striker Perez was talking about potentially leaving himself.

The 25-year-old knows he is a wanted man back in their homeland, with some of Spain's biggest clubs wtching him as well as national-team boss Luis Enrique.

“In the summer, there are going to be options,” he said. “That means I have done ­something well. I'll be up for hearing what is coming, but it doesn’t mean I am going to leave 100 per cent at the end of the season.

Adios? Perez was clear he'll listen to offers from other clubs this summer (Image: Reuters)

"It is going to be a difficult decision and depends on a lot of things.”

Perez’s goal haul against a Southampton side who started sluggishly, but looked the better outfit for much of the second half, took him to 11 for the ­campaign, one ahead of ­Salomon Rondon.

It also moved him into the top 10 of Toon goal-scorers in the Premier League era – not bad for a £1.5million buy who wasn’t even a full-time pro when he ­arrived in England in 2014.

“I still have to realise I am on that list,” he said, ­genuinely thrilled to be in such esteemed company – his hat-trick taking him above Demba Ba and the late Gary Speed.

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An unknown when signed for just £1.5m, Perez has become a Geordie favourite (Image: Reuters)

“Such a big club, such a tough league. I need to think about that because it is something to be proud of, and something very big for myself that I couldn’t even imagine when I signed.”

Perez’s upsurge has coincided with the arrival of record-buy Miguel Almiron, who terrorised the Saints’ defence with his electric pace, only to fall foul of a hamstring ­injury which is set to rule him out for the rest of the season.

If Almiron has been the catalyst, it is Perez and Rondon who’ve scored the goals to ­secure survival.

“It has been a tough season for everyone at the club,” added Perez. “Day by day, we have been working very hard to be in this position.

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Benitez has delivered another year in the top flight, but wants Newcastle to have bigger ambitions than survival (Image: Action Images via Reuters)

“So 41 points means a lot. It is something we have to be proud of. And I am very proud of myself. That is my second hat-trick. I got one for Tenerife, but this is even more special. It is a moment I will never forget. I said I had to improve my numbers and now I have 11 goals, with hopefully more to come.”

The Magpies were still livid at referee ­Anthony Taylor’s decision to book, rather than ­dismiss, James Ward-Prowse for a ­blatant ­body-check on Almiron, when Perez broke the deadlock on 27 minutes, his ­second arriving soon after.

The visitors fought back as Mario Lemina cut the deficit and ­Maya Yoshida went close several times. But Perez had the final word, cleverly diverting Matt Ritchie’s diving header into the net to earn the matchball.